This year’s animation strand at C.I.F.F. will comprise three programs of animated short films in competition for the Best Animation Award, as well as an Animated Family Shorts program curated by renowned Cardiff-based studio Cloth Cat Animation, networking events, and an Animation Quiz run by the team at Skwigly Animation Magazine.

2017 is shaping up to be a big year for us, and running the animation strand at Cardiff Independent Film Festival is a huge highlight. We’ve expanded our animation competition program for our second year at C.I.F.F. and we’re really excited about the incredible selection of films we’re able to screen this year. We think it’s going to be a tough decision for the jury!

-Lauren Orme, Director of Cardiff Animation Nights

The Best Animation award will be decided by a jury comprising senior director of animation at Nickelodeon International, Alexi Wheeler; award-winning director, Rebecca Manley; co-founder and producer at Slurpy Studios, Aaron Wood; founder of the British Animation Awards, Jayne Pilling; and director and designer at Aardman Animations, Darren Dubicki.

Established in 2014, Cardiff Animation Nights runs bi-monthly screenings of award-winning independent animation from around the world at venues in Cardiff. As well as their regular events and the animation strand at C.I.F.F., Cardiff Animation Nights is planning a packed programme of animation events for Cardiff in 2017 and 2018.

Way of Giants (Dir. Alois di Leo)

Cardiff Independent Film Festival is an award-winning annual event run every spring by a non-profit organisation of Wales-based filmmakers. 2017 will be C.I.F.F.’s fourth year. Established in April 2016 by the team from Cardiff Animation Nights, the first animation strand at C.I.F.F. screened an eclectic selection of animated shorts from around the world. Conor Whelan’s 2D animated short Snowfall won the 2016 animation competition programme, with a special mention for Simon Cartwright’s Manoman. C.I.F.F.’s 2016 animation strand also featured masterclasses from UK animation industry giants Aardman, ground-breaking children’s TV creator Ben Bocquelet, and Oscar-nominated Cardiff-based animation director Joanna Quinn.

Cardiff Independent Film Festival 2017 will run from Friday 5th to Sunday 7th May at Chapter, an independent arts hub and cinema space in the heart of Cardiff, as well as other Cardiff venues. The full animation program can be found at cardiffanimation.com/programme2017. Tickets for C.I.F.F.’s animation strand will be on sale soon – follow Cardiff Animation Nights on Twitter at twitter.com/animationnights for updates.